The present invention relates to vinyl gloves and more particularly concern disposable vinyl gloves used in medicine, laboratory and industry fields where gloves are used to prevent infection, disease and injury from harmful materials.
Disposable gloves are widely used in the above listed industries to protect the user's hands and to avoid the contact with bacterium, viruses and harmful materials. Gloves have become mandatory in many industries and in all medical environments where there is the potential for the exchange of bodily fluids.
Disposable gloves manufactured with latex have the highest usage rate in the United States. Part of this is due to the fact that the glove fits tightly and feels like a "second skin". However, in recent years there has been a great deal of problems concerning latex, due to allergic reactions to latex. Because latex is produced by natural rubber trees and then processed to make products such as gloves, latex contains proteins which may contain allergens which affect a certain percentage of the population. In recent years, allergies to latex have become an increasingly more frequent problem.
Due to the latex allergy problems, which can result in life-threatening symptoms, many health care professional and other glove users are choosing alternative gloves for protection. The primary substitution has been vinyl deposable gloves, which are about the same cost and have no harmful proteins. They are latex free and synthetic.
Gloves manufactured with PVC/vinyl materials are increasing in usage. The disadvantage however of the vinyl gloves in that they have less elasticity than the popular latex gloves. The primary problem is that the wrist area does not fit snug and therefore allows for the possible entrance of fluids during usage. This happens because the wrist opening must be as large as the palm to allow donning. This potential problem leads potential users of this glove to be cautious in its usage. Therefore, we have invented the disposable vinyl glove-fastening device.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,884,300 Glove Having Improved Cuff Securing Feature provides a kind of disposable glove. An adhesive means is attached to the inside of the cuff of the glove. After the glove is put on the hand, remove the release sheet from adhesive, press the adhesive against another portion of the cuff so that the glove is secured on the hand of the wearer. However, this kind securing means cannot tighten the cuff on the wrist. Therefore, it does not solve the potential for liquid entering into the inside of the glove.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,845,780 Glove Having Improved Cuff Securing Feature provides a kind of disposable glove. An adhesive means is attached to the inside of the cuff of the glove. Said adhesive means is an adhesive tab projected from the inside of the cuff. After the glove is put on the wearer's hand, remove the release sheet from the adhesive tap, then tighten the cuff on the wrist and press the adhesive tap on the surface of the glove. This kind of securing means can only keep the glove on the wearer's hand, the potential for liquid entering the inside of the glove still cannot be solved.